There are a variety of electroplating methods that can be used to deposit metals onto a substrate. The preferred electroplating method depends on the application and on the geometry of the part. The various electroplating methods are listed and described below:
Barrel Plating
Barrel plating is a form of electroplating used to achieve uniform plating coverage on a high volume of parts. In barrel plating, parts are placed into a barrel that is submerged in a metal plating solution consisting of a salt and the metal to be plated. While immersed in the liquid, the barrel slowly rotates as electric currents facilitate the transfer of ions from the anode to the cathode. The constant contact between parts in the barrel allows the parts to all be connected electrically. Additionally, although parts should be cleaned and descaled before plating, the rotation mechanism of the barrel plating process also helps to further clean and descale parts. However, the constant surface contact between parts may not be ideal for applications that require precise or ornamental finishes since the friction between parts can affect plating quality and create non-uniform surfaces.
Rack Plating
Rack plating is another commonly used electroplating process. In rack plating, parts are suspended from a frame and immersed in a plating solution. In contrast to barrel-plated products, rack-plated parts do not contact each other during the plating process, and each has its own continuous electrical connection to the cathode. Providing an environment with more constant current density available to each part makes it possible to electroplate complex contours and deep crevices while simultaneously avoiding potential damage due to excessive part-to-part contact. These features of the rack plating process lead to more tightly controlled plated surfaces on the parts. While rack plating cannot electroplate parts as quickly as barrel plating, it is often preferred for parts that must satisfy particular dimensional or aesthetic requirements.
Reel-to-Reel Plating
Reel-to-reel plating is an electroplating process that is used for plating raw materials before they are fabricated into complete parts through processes like stamping. In reel-to-reel plating, raw material is unwound from a reel, immersed in an electroplating solution, and then respooled onto another reel. The process repeats until the desired plating quality is achieved or as different materials are deposited. Reel-to-reel plating is particularly useful for parts in the electronics or semiconductor industries due to the small nature of the parts used.
